Ptarmigan

Ptarmigan
Ptarmigan Ptar"mi*gan, n. [Gael. tarmachan; cf. Ir. tarmochan, tarmonach.] (Zo["o]l.) Any grouse of the genus {Lagopus}, of which numerous species are known. The feet are completely feathered. Most of the species are brown in summer, but turn white, or nearly white, in winter. [1913 Webster]

Note: They chiefly inhabit the northern countries and high mountains of Europe, Asia, and America. The common European species is {Lagopus mutus}. The Scotch grouse, red grouse, or moor fowl ({Lagopus Scoticus}), is reddish brown, and does not turn white in winter. The white, or willow, ptarmigan ({Lagopus albus}) is found in both Europe and America. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • ptarmigan — ● ptarmigan nom masculin (anglais ptarmigan) Nom donné à un type de grouse. ⇒PTARMIGAN, subst. masc. ZOOL. Perdrix blanche des montagnes et des contrées arctiques; p. méton., viande de cet animal. Synon. plus usuel lagopède. Souper d un bon… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • ptarmigan — [tär′mi gən] n. pl. ptarmigans or ptarmigan [altered (by assoc. with PTERO ) < earlier termigan < Scot tarmachan] any of a genus (Lagopus) of brownish arctic, subarctic, or alpine grouse with feathered legs and feet, usually having white… …   English World dictionary

  • Ptarmigan — Ptarmigan, das Schneehuhn …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • ptarmigan — bird of the grouse family, 1590s, from Gael. tarmachan, of unknown origin. The PT (Cf. pt ) spelling (1680s) is a mistaken Greek construction …   Etymology dictionary

  • ptarmigan — ► NOUN ▪ a grouse of northern mountains and the Arctic, having grey and black plumage which changes to white in winter. ORIGIN Scottish Gaelic tàrmachan …   English terms dictionary

  • Ptarmigan — NOTOC : This article deals with the European species named Ptarmigan known in North America as the Rock Ptarmigan. For the Willow Ptarmigan, see Willow Grouse; see also White tailed Ptarmigan.Taxobox name = Ptarmigan status = LC status system =… …   Wikipedia

  • ptarmigan — /tahr mi geuhn/, n., pl. ptarmigans, (esp. collectively) ptarmigan. any of several grouses of the genus Lagopus, of mountainous and cold northern regions, having feathered feet. [1590 1600; pseudo Gk sp. of ScotGael tarmarchan, akin to Ir… …   Universalium

  • ptarmigan — (ptar mi gan) s. m. Nom d un oiseau des contrées arctiques. SUPPLÉMENT AU DICTIONNAIRE    PTARMIGAN. Ajoutez : REM. Le ptarmigan se trouve en deçà des contrées arctiques. •   Toute la contrée [les Highlands d Ecosse] a été atteinte d une épidémie …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • ptarmigan — [16] Ptarmigan was borrowed from Scottish Gaelic tarmachan, a diminutive form of tarmach ‘ptarmigan’. There is no etymological justification for the spelling pt . It was foisted on the word in the late 17th century in the erroneous belief that it …   The Hutchinson dictionary of word origins

  • ptarmigan — [16] Ptarmigan was borrowed from Scottish Gaelic tarmachan, a diminutive form of tarmach ‘ptarmigan’. There is no etymological justification for the spelling pt . It was foisted on the word in the late 17th century in the erroneous belief that it …   Word origins

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